Winter is Coming

I’ve been cleaning and purging my bookshelves recently (stemming from my milestones and rethinking post) and I was coming across a great number of books on my shelves that had winter in their titles, or had a wintery theme on their covers, or were situated sometime during the winter season. I thought it would be a good idea to collect those books and read through them as much as possible over the upcoming winter months. It also helps build my “reading from my own shelves” list(s).

There are quite a few! Wow.

(Please note: clicking on the covers will bring you to their Goodreads’ description.)

I’ve been trying to get to Doctor Zhivago for years! It’s the perfect winter-time, nestled by the fire kind of read! The same can be said for Sashenka, another epic Russian saga.

There are these three with their wintery scenes on the cover that would be perfect for this seasonal reading. I specifically bought this copy of Ann Patchett’s The Magician’s Assistant because of its fantastic cover. Doesn’t that cover make you want to curl up next to the fire and jump right into the book?

The Siege Winter and the Ruined Abbey caught my eye and are available from the library. I do like reading mysteries in the winter — there’s just something about mysteries, in particular a good series, that calls to me in the winter months – so Ruined Abbey by Anne Emery sounds great. It’s said to be a kind of a prequel to her series (Collins-Burke series) too, so I’m fine with starting at what’s listed as #8 in the series. This year will be marvelous as well because Louise Penny is having a late November release for her latest in the Gamache series (usually she’s releasing them in August) and will definitely fill my mystery series need. Since there won’t be one from Elizabeth George (she’s usually one I’m tucking into by the fire during these months, but it’ll be at least another year or two before a new Lynley is due??) Kingdom of the Blind will be a much anticipated, has already been said to be one of her best, and it comes with a nice wintery cover doesn’t it?!

When I was looking through Goodreads to find the covers for the books I own, I found I’ve already read quite a few of books with winter in the title! Clearly it’s an attraction:

The Winter People, Jennifer McMahon

A Week in Winter, Maeve Binchy

In the Midst of Winter, Isabel Allende

The Winter Witch, Paula Brackston

The Winter Palace, Eva Stachniak

All the Winters After, Sere Prince Halverson

One Night in Winter, Simon Sebag Montefiore

Winter Sisters, Robin Oliveira

Minds of Winter, Ed O’Loughlin

Are you a seasonal reader? Do you read books situated in specific seasons during that season? What do you think my chances of reading all of these books listed above will be? 🙂 🙂 With our delivery of firewood due to be dropped off over the weekend, the temps continuing to drop, and the cozy reading socks on the ready, it’s going to be a great time to start reading from this (giant) stack!

Happy Reading!

8 Comments

Wow: that’s a LOT! Now I’m curious how many are on my shelves. Probably more than I’d guess, as winter is my favourite season. In theory, I am a seasonal reader, but, in reality, I always have such a stack underway that I don’t usually get to a “new theme” for so long that, by then, it’s not as timely as it once seemed. You did really well with your 20 Books of Summer, so I’m guessing you could do just as well with this plan. But of course there will be others sneaking in, right?

It is a lot right?? 🙂 Of course there will be others sneaking in – my willpower to stay that much on track is pretty weak! And I’ve just added my thoughts for a NonFiction November! So Many Books to read! But, I have moved all the winter books plus the NF books to the shelves in the room where I sit and read, so they are right in front of me – for better focus. 😉

I would probably say I’m more of a mood reader too, for the most part – but I couldn’t help but notice all the “winter” books on my shelves so this sounded like a great little project and one that will get me to read the books I own! 😉 I’m definitely completely interested in hearing from you and BIP and what’s in your stacks!

I do have a winter reading shelf on Goodreads – only a couple of these books used to be on it! I’ve since read The Winter Ghosts and Minds of Winter – both are definitely great reads for the season. I would like to be a seasonal reader but I usually end up being a mood reader and thinking “Well, I guess I’ll have to read that book next winter…” (i.e. not actually getting around to the winter books in winter…).